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2026-11-07T09:17:09

Ceramic Imports Fill Supply Gap When Industrial Gas Falls Short

工业气短缺时陶瓷进口填补印尼供应缺口

Indonesia ceramic imports increasingly fill the supply gap when gas shortfalls since September 2026 squeeze local plant utilisation. Construction Intelligence Asia (21 October 2026) notes that every square metre domestic makers fail to produce must be bought from importers or go missing for developers and contractors. This piece focuses on buyer impact and import flows—not capacity-expansion plans—so it matters for finishing-material procurement via homeX.

Key Facts

Why Indonesia ceramic imports close the supply gap

Construction Intelligence Asia (CIA) on 21 October 2026 summarised ASAKI chairman Edy Suyanto’s 16 October remarks that the core problem is uncertain gas volumes, not price alone. Plans to add about 110 million m² of capacity with roughly Rp12 trillion of investment were put on “wait and see” after September shortfalls. CIA stresses the buyer side: even before 2028, existing lines need gas to hit utilisation targets, and worker furloughs show some plants are already short of output.

With exports only 3–4% of production, almost every missing domestic square metre becomes either an import opportunity or a hole in project schedules.

2025 import record and pressure on trade defence

Citing industry figures, CIA reports that in 2025 utilisation rose from 66% to 73% and output grew 15% to 474.5 million m², while imports from India rose 55%, Vietnam 32% and Malaysia 210%. Utilisation reached 78% in December 2025. ASAKI credits anti-dumping/safeguard duties and mandatory SNI with supporting local competitiveness, and says it will pursue a dumping probe on Indian tiles, evidence of Chinese products transhipped via Malaysia, and moving import entry ports off Java.

  • Gas shortfalls weaken the industry’s trade cases because foreign suppliers can meet demand.
  • Distributors that switch to import brands during scarcity may not return to local makers once gas recovers.
  • ASAKI also says West Java mining-permit revocations have disrupted raw-material supply.

Implications for buyers, contractors and building stores

For developers and contractors, a supply gap means longer lead times, narrower motif/size choices, or heavier reliance on import stock. CIA notes ASAKI has not published utilisation or import figures for the months after September 2026, so this year’s scale is not yet officially measured—but the risk direction is clear: gas allocation decides how much tile Indonesia can make through 2028.

homeX helps source building and finishing materials for renovation and small-to-mid projects. When planning tile installation schedules, compare local versus import availability, verify SNI marks, and keep buffer stock so works do not stop if domestic utilisation falls.

Indonesia ceramic imports: related articles and products

FAQ

Why do imports fill the ceramic supply gap? CIA argues gas shortfalls cut local output, so missing square metres must come from imports or go unavailable.

Which countries’ imports rose sharply in 2025? CIA cites India +55%, Vietnam +32% and Malaysia +210%.

What share of production is exported? CIA writes exports are only 3–4% of production, so the domestic market sets volumes.

For building and renovation material needs, reach the homeX team on WhatsApp +62 821 1818 998, by email at homex9998@gmail.com or through our contact page.

Sources: Construction Intelligence Asia, gas shortfalls & tile expansion (21 Oct 2026, accessed 7 Nov 2026)